Garner Valley Returns to the Movies!

January 2017 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 8 Ways To Protect Your 2 Emergency Preparedness 2 Live Your Best You 3 A Celebration 4 More Memories 5 Emergency Preparedness... 6 Walk a Dog for ARF 6 New Year s Eve Party 7 Thanks for the Memories 8 Local Arborist to Speak 8 Mark Your Calendars 8 Garner Valley Returns to the Movies! Tucker s War is a new western TV drama starring Steve Silkotch, a long time Anza resident, cowboy, actor, musician, and a farrier for many horse owners in Garner Valley! Steve stars as Tucker Hicks, a working cowboy and WWI Medal of Honor winner who returns home from the war hoping to settle into a peaceful life with his beautiful wife. But what he finds is much the same as what he left a town where Native American and Latino members of the community are looked upon as second class citizens and subject to harsh treatment from law enforcement and government officials. Tucker s honor drives him to seek justice for his friends. (Local actor and singer Michael Thomas was featured in the Valley Voice November issue and plays the villain, Otis Huckabee.) Tucker s War. He rewrote Ramona in 2014 and has produced a number of television commercials for prominent clients such as Hyundai, Acura, Suzuki and Kia. Stephen Savage is the founder and director of the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema which occurs every January. Steve has acted in the outdoor play Ramona for 16 years. Steve s quarter horse gelding, Marshall, also appears in Ramona and in Tucker s War when he is not busy working with Steve on their cattle ranch. Steve and Marshall have fond memories of riding in the Tournament of Roses parade with the cast and players of Ramona, and they plan to perform in the play again in April/May 2017 at the beautiful Ramona Bowl Amphitheater in Hemet. While working on the play, Steve and Marshall met Stephen Savage, an Idyllwild resident and an international award winning director who created The pilot, A Dangerous Country, was filmed at various locations in Garner Valley and Anza! Join us at the first ever screening of Tucker s War on Saturday, January 7 at The Rustic Theater in Idyllwild. Tickets are $10 if purchased online, or $15 at the door. The show starts at high noon! To purchase tickets online, go to http://www.idyllwildcinemafest.com/t wworldpremiere/# For further information, email info@idyllwildcinemafest.com or call (310) 270-3774.

The Valley Voice Page 2 8 Ways To Protect Your Home In light of recent burglaries, we would like to share a few tips to protect your home. Bushes, shrubs and trees can offer an intruder places to hide and camouflage signs of a breakin. Trim back overgrown vegetation so that your home s windows, porches and doors are visible to neighbors and passersby. Install motion-sensing security lights and timers for indoor lights as well as radios and TV s, making it appear that someone is home. Entry doors should be solid wood or steel-wrapped wood core doors. A deadbolt should be installed on every exterior entry door. The bolt should have a throw of at least one inch. Always lock your doors and windows whenever you leave your home. Consider getting a dog! No matter what size, the bark is more important than the bite. Keep all of your keys in a secure spot. Consider installing a monitored security system; post signs and stickers around your property. Place metal bars on the bottom tracks of sliding doors and windows. Get to know your neighbors! Encourage them to watch for suspicious activity when you are not home. To report suspicious activity, call the sheriff at 800-950-2444. For emergencies, call 9-1-1. Emergency Preparedness In A Nutshell (Submitted by Jim Merson) Even if you are still in the process of more detailed emergency preparedness planning, please take a moment and consider the following: Have a plan for the family. Have a supply of drinking water and basic food. Have a supply of your prescriptions and things specific to your health, some first aid supplies, an alternative communication system and a plan for protection of family assets and property. Keep gas in your car and consider the needs of pets. Be sure you have a family discussion now before the emergency comes, and be sure you have a plan for the family.

The Valley Voice Page 3 Live Your Best You Getting fit and healthy usually ranks in the top 5 New Year s resolutions along with losing weight, getting organized, and enjoying life to the fullest. Why just give one day of the year to know you are worth every day of feeling great? Brandy and Bryan Asch at R.E.P.S. Training Center in Mountain Center look forward to helping others reach their goals! The importance of health can be viewed from different perspectives. Taking care of yourself is quite an important factor that should not be taken lightly. "You have only One Body which houses the Mind; if you don't take care of both of them, where will you live? There are several benefits of living healthy and happy. Your body and mind can become free from various disorders, diseases, uncomfortableness and unhappiness by just simply learning and applying the proper nutrition including food and water intake, movements, and rest. You can learn to make a drastic improvement in the overall quality of your life. Brandy and Bryan Asch opened R.E.P.S. in Oct. 2012 with the goal of Strengthening Mind & Body As One. "My personal objective has always been to be able to perform at the best of my learned athletic abilities in any and all activities I decide to participate in without limitation of any kind regardless of chronological age. Now I just get to do that for others as well. With 40 plus years invested within the athletic community, I have come to appreciate being able to apply my knowledge of the human body and its mechanics to assist all who wish for a more involved and satisfying lifestyle." -Bryan Asch Driven at a young age to keep mobile helped cure a stagnation of thoughts and physical growth, I learned I was naturally athletic and driven to accomplish challenging tasks. The outdoors was my place of brave intervention which brought clarity and solace. As I matured and had my first child, my body and mind transformed. Still being uncomfortable in my own skin, low in energy, with stretch marks and places on my body extending to lengths and sizes I didn't know could exist, I kept outdoor interests flowing... but needed a little more to learn. Two years later, it slowly came off and I felt better to be in public; I received a gift for a gym membership with a clean and welcoming child care. My child got time with new friends. I got a little time to reconnect with myself. This opened doors to new experiences, lifelong friendships and a new invigorating lifestyle to help share with others." -Brandy Asch Located just a few minutes away at 29430 Hwy. 243 near the Mountain Center Post Office, R.E.P.S. Gym offers open gym memberships, personal training sessions, and a variety of special group classes such as defensive conditioning, stretching and flexibility, yoga, and Tai Qi. These group classes are reasonably priced per class which allows you to try a class or two with no long-term commitment. Defensive conditioning is offered for ages 12 to adult, and the youth boot camp offers fun athletic training techniques for ages 13 to 17, indoors and outdoors. Bryan and Brandy like to provide a fun, healthy and safe environment. They care about your goals and will consistently strive to help you achieve them. For more information, call Bryan at 858-212- 9923 or Brandy at 619-925-9030. There is something for everybody at R.E.P.S. Gym! Garner Valley Trivia: Looking Back In Hemet Valley, now called Garner Valley, on the other side of Thomas Mountain, or "over the hill," as the early mountain inhabitants would say, other cattlemen were arriving at about the same time as the Parks, Reed, and Tripp cattle ranchers were moving into the lower elevations around the Anza area. Many of those settlers in Garner Valley also came to take advantage of the good grazing land that was found there. In the mid 1860's Charley and Genoveva Bardico Thomas, former residents of Temecula area, chose the northern end of the Hemet Valley for their ranch and then stocked it with prize cattle and fine racehorses. They too, had come looking for good pastureland. There are many stories surrounding how Charley Thomas came into possession of the many acres of land that made up his ranch. There are stories of bets and gambling, and others of deals made with the Indians.

The Valley Voice Page 4 A Celebration of the Season Food for Thought: "The future lies before you, like a field of fallen snow; Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show." The Garner Valley Gals hosted their annual Celebration of the Season on Saturday evening, December 10 with a new Christmas tree, beautiful decorations created by Susan Gonzalez, a concert by the Idyllwild Master Chorale, and a traditional holiday dinner of turkey, ham, potatoes, stuffing, veggies and salads. The popular dessert table was a big treat, as is our custom in Garner Valley! Members of the Chorale come from the Idyllwild area as well as Garner Valley, Anza, Hemet, Temecula, Palm Desert and sometimes as far as Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties. The Chorale treated guests to selections from Vivaldi and ended with a fun sing-along of traditional Christmas favorites. Dwight Holmes, Conductor and Artistic Director of the Chorale, brings 36 years of experience to this choir. He serves as the Music Coordinator for the Hemet Unified School District and teaches vocal and instrumental music in several local schools. A special prize of two tickets to an upcoming concert was won by new Garner Valley residents, Jack and Helen Podsedly. Beautiful centerpieces created by Teresa Beith were also won by a lucky winner at each table. Donations of food and toys were taken to the Catholic Church in Anza and the Help Center in Idyllwild. What a great way to start the holiday season!

The Valley Voice Page 5 More Memories

The Valley Voice Page 6 Quote: Life is unpredictable, It changes with the seasons, Even your coldest winter, Happens for the best of reasons. And though it feels eternal, Like all you'll ever do is freeze, I promise spring is coming And with it brand new leaves. ~e.h. Emergency Preparedness for Pets As we learn how to get prepared for an emergency, an important piece of that plan involves our beloved pets. Here are basic items suggested by the Humane Society for your pet s disaster preparedness kit: Food and water for at least five days for each pet, including bowls and a manual can opener if you are packing canned pet food. Keep an extra gallon of water on hand to use if your pet has been exposed to chemicals or flood waters and needs to be rinsed. Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container with a first- aid kit. A pet first-aid book is also a good idea. Cat litter box, litter scoop and garbage bags. Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely. Make sure your pet is wearing a collar and identification tag that is up to date and visible. Smaller pets may also need blankets or towels for bedding and warmth. Current photos of you with your pets and descriptions of each pet to help others identify them in case you become separated. Written information about your pets feeding schedules, medical conditions and any behavior issues along with the name and phone number of your vet. Paper towels, grooming items and pet toys. For more resources on staying safe during times of disaster, visit www.humanesociety.org/disaster or check their Disaster Preparation board on Pinterest. Walk a Dog for ARF Do you love dogs? Can you donate an hour on a Saturday or Sunday to help walk a dog? Animal Rescue Friends is looking for volunteers to walk dogs around town. The dogs have adopt me leashes so people will know they are looking for forever homes. The dogs needing walks vary in size and energy from week to week depending on adoptions. Some dogs would love to go for a walk several times a day if only they could, while others are happy just to get out for some fresh air. Volunteers can walk from ARF to the downtown area, or they are welcome to drive the dog up in their car and walk from there. What a nice way to get a little exercise (remember that New Year s resolution?) and to help local dogs needing a home. For further information or to get on the volunteer list, call ARF at 951-659-1122.

The Valley Voice Page 7 New Year s Eve Party A New GV Tradition Our fourth New Year's Eve Party held at the Common boasted the largest attendance to date, and the room was filled with fun loving folks ringing in the New Year. A big Thank You goes to Tom and Catherine Powers and Bob and Debbie Kaller for stepping up and taking charge of the planning and coordinating of a great party. Thanks also go to Jim Merson and Leslie and Tony Ingham for donating the extra funds to finance the party. Guests enjoyed an authentic Italian dinner provided by Piero's Pizza Vino in Palm Desert. Yummy cakes and Italian cookies were served for dessert. After dinner, guests were entertained by comedian Patrick Hanifin, followed by great music provided by one of our favorite local bands, The Chucks. The dance floor was always busy with country two steppers, line dancing, a little bit of rock and roll, and a couple of very smooth ballroom dancers. At last year s party, Tom and Catherine Powers won a prize for being the first to RSVP. This year, Tom presented the prize to Torben and Teresa Beith. (Note to self: RSVP early next year!) Throughout the evening, there were drawings for cash prizes generously donated by the organizers. The countdown to the New Year was started, and at 9:00, the crystal ball dropped to cheering, hugging, happy party goers. Dancing and conversation continued until the end of another great event.

The Valley Voice Page 8 YOUR EDITORS Lynnette Holdridge (626) 233-1224 Leslie Ingham (909) 631-3685 Kim Miller (951) 609-2512 Email: GVEditors@gmail.com How Do I Sign Up for the Newsletter Email List? Email us at the above address. Submissions and Photos always welcome! No political statements No paid advertising Please feel free to contact the Editors with any other questions. If we do not have the answers, we will get them! Thanks for the Memories, 2016! How did another year pass by so quickly? Just last December, we celebrated our first six months as editors of The Valley Voice and recalled some great articles about mounted shooting, line dancing, chicken raising and folk singers; hikers, Chi walkers, talented local artists, horse health, dog food, beetles and mountain lions! Since then, we welcomed new neighbors, visited some charming alpacas, learned about equine dentistry, and delighted in meeting identical twins. Our Spring issues featured our local feed and hay store and the Pacific Crest Trail oasis, snakes and backyard birding, saddle making, wildlife print identification, baby horses, composting and some fascinating Garner Valley history. As the year progressed, we were pleased to include articles about Local Arborist Scheduled to Speak Do you want more information about bark beetles, tree disease, and treatment options? John Huddleston from Precision Tree Experts in Idyllwild has been invited to speak at the next Board meeting on Monday, January 16 at 7:30 (after the general session). We hope to see you there! talented local horsemen, authors/directors, and singers; a mustang s legacy, giardia, the Tevis Cup winner from Garner Valley, and Oldenburg horse breeding. We also sadly said goodbye to two beloved neighbors and friends. Recaps of our many community events and activities, recipes, restaurant reviews, and fun photos made each issue unique. Special thanks go to Carole Winch, Sandy Brunet, Pam Potter, Kathy Bowman, Jim Merson, and Michael Lehman for submitting articles, and to everyone who allowed us to interview you for the newsletter. Lastly, heartfelt thanks to you, our readers, who have communicated to us either through emails or in person, how much you enjoy the newsletter. It has been our pleasure, and we look forward to 2017! Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Events! January 16 th Local Arborist, John Huddleston, to speak at Board Meeting at 7:30 p.m. after the general session. TBA The Board has invited representatives from Anza Electric to update us about internet service in Garner Valley. Date and time to follow!